Kevyn Aucoin Quotes

Powerful Kevyn Aucoin for Daily Growth

About Kevyn Aucoin

Kevyn Aucoin (April 26, 1962 – July 7, 2002) was an American make-up artist, photographer, and author, renowned for his innovative techniques and transformative makeup artistry. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Aucoin's passion for beauty began at a young age, influenced by his mother's love for glamour and his fascination with the transformative power of makeup. After studying cosmetology in Dallas, Texas, Aucoin moved to New York City where he quickly rose to fame in the 1980s. His big break came when he worked on the cover of Vogue magazine, creating a striking transformation of model Cindy Crawford. Over the next two decades, Aucoin's work graced countless magazine covers, runways, and advertising campaigns, working with some of the most iconic faces in fashion, including Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Madonna. In addition to his editorial and commercial work, Aucoin authored several groundbreaking books on makeup artistry, including "Making Faces" (1997), a collection of tutorials and insights into the art of transformative makeup. His other works include "The Art of Photography" (1995) and "Face Forward: The Transforming Beauty of Makeup" (2004). Aucoin's life was cut tragically short when he died at the age of 40 due to a car accident. However, his legacy lives on through his work, which continues to inspire and influence generations of makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike. His innovative techniques and transformative approach to makeup artistry continue to shape the industry today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Makeup is an extension of our wardrobe."

This quote by Kevyn Aucoin emphasizes that makeup, like clothing, can be a form of self-expression and personal style statement. Just as we choose outfits to suit our mood, occasion, or personality, we apply makeup in various ways to enhance our features, experiment with trends, or express our individuality. In essence, makeup is another tool to communicate aspects of ourselves to the world.


"The key to beauty is to be comfortable in your own skin and to be able to enhance your natural features instead of hiding them."

Kevyn Aucoin's quote emphasizes self-acceptance as a cornerstone of beauty. The idea here is that true beauty comes from embracing one's natural appearance, rather than attempting to disguise or alter it significantly. He encourages people to focus on enhancing their inherent features instead of seeking to hide them, suggesting a more authentic and natural approach to beauty. In essence, the quote suggests that inner confidence and comfort in one's own skin are essential components of true beauty.


"I don't believe in perfection, only perfectionism: the act of continuously pursuing perfection while knowing that it cannot be achieved."

Kevyn Aucoin's quote emphasizes the concept of perpetual striving for improvement rather than expecting or demanding absolute perfection. The pursuit of perfectionism is a mindset that acknowledges one can never truly reach perfection, but still aspires to better oneself, continuously learning and growing. This understanding fosters resilience, creativity, and self-improvement, leading to a fulfilling and meaningful journey rather than the relentless pursuit of an unattainable ideal.


"Everyone has an individual beauty that should be celebrated, not hidden by makeup."

Kevyn Aucoin's quote emphasizes the importance of embracing one's natural beauty rather than concealing it with makeup. The message is about celebrating the uniqueness and individuality in every person, as opposed to using cosmetics as a tool for conformity or disguise. It encourages self-acceptance and appreciation of one's own features, promoting a positive body image and self-love.


"Beauty is about enhancing what nature gave you and not hiding behind a mask."

Kevyn Aucoin's quote emphasizes that beauty should be an enhancement rather than a disguise or concealment of one's natural appearance. It encourages embracing and accentuating the inherent qualities bestowed by nature, rather than striving for an unattainable perfection or artificial look. This view promotes self-acceptance, individuality, and genuine beauty that radiates from within.


Beauty is about perception, not about make-up. I think the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself. You can't put on make-up, or dress yourself, or do you hair with any sort of fun or joy if you're doing it from a position of correction.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Dress, Doing, I Think, Oneself

There are two types of people in the world: people who are passionate about things, and people who've had their passion punched, beaten, or whatever out of them.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Passionate, Types, Beaten, Punched

I don't use 'always do this,' 'never say that' and I never give advice because I'm not the end-all, be-all authority.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Give, Always, Use, End-All

I didn't know what gay was. There was no such thing when I was growing up. I knew I had crushes on boys, but I didn't think there was anything wrong with that until I started to hear about it from the other kids in school.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Other, About, Had, Crushes

That's why I began doing makeup in the first place: I was hoping that through helping people see the beauty in themselves, I could try and find it in me.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Makeup, Doing, Through, Helping People

Kids threw rocks at me, told me I was ugly and left death threats in my locker.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Death, Rocks, Threw, Locker

Trying to conceal the fact that I was a gay, effeminate, hyperactive, adopted child with a serious lisp in southern Louisiana would have been like trying to hide Dolly Parton in a string bikini!

- Kevyn Aucoin

Conceal, Been, Southern, Bikini

Perfection is boring. If a face doesn't have mistakes, it's nothing.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Face, Nothing, Boring, Perfection

When I was growing up, the men in my life were abusive; women were the ones I ran to for comfort.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Life, My Life, Comfort, Ran

I was a regular little boy who also enjoyed things that girls did.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Boy, Things, Also, Regular

Life is too short to spend hoping that the perfectly arched eyebrow or hottest new lip shade will mask an ugly heart.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Life Is Too Short, New, Mask

Another thing that's pathetic is this rule that you have to look ugly to get respect as an actress. Jessica Lange had to make herself look really bad to prove that she had amazing talent.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Bad, Prove, Actress, Jessica

I'm not saying that putting on makeup will change the world or even your life, but it can be a first step in learning things about yourself you may never have discovered otherwise. At worst, you could make a big mess and have a good laugh.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Makeup, Big, Discovered, Laugh

I made a crash landing here on Earth on February 14, 1962, in the Shreveport Catholic Charities Home for un-wed mothers. The infamous Bonnie and Clyde lost their lives just miles from where I was born. Like outlaws ourselves, my birth mother and I were on the run from the day she found out I was part of her.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Infamous, Here, Charities, Catholic

The faces I see in the modeling industry can get dull.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Modeling, See, Get, Faces

Fights with my father were really quite brutal. I would not live his vision. I would not become who he wanted me to be. Everything I did was criticized. I would spend three months drawing something and show him, and he would look up from his paper and just look back down. I got no approval from him for anything I did that was creative.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Father, Back, Show, Criticized

Fear is the most debilitating emotion in the world, and it can keep you from ever truly knowing yourself and others - its adverse effects can no longer be overlooked or underestimated. Fear breeds hatred, and hatred has the power to destroy everything in its path.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Destroy, Breeds, Overlooked, Debilitating

Growing up, my ideals were Barbra Streisand, Cher, and my mom.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Growing Up, Growing, Ideals, Streisand

It's our hearts and brains that we should exercise more often. You can put on all the makeup you want, but it won't make your soul pretty.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Makeup, More, Pretty, Hearts

I'm going to insult a whole industry here, but it seems like TV is for people who can't do film. I'm not talking about actresses; I'm talking about lighting people. Lighting on TV is just so... it's sinful, it really is.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Here, Not Talking, TV, Insult

I think the responsibility lies with the fashion world as a collective. We have to demand more variety.

- Kevyn Aucoin

World, Think, I Think, Fashion World

Soon I realized that if beauty equalled forgiveness, I was never going to be forgiven.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Beauty, Never, Going, Forgiven

My entire mission in life is to help women take over the world. Not by force (the route so many men have taken since the beginning of time), but with compassion, perseverance, and love.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Love, Beginning, Over, Since

Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain... To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices - today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Inspirational, Wake Up, Feel, Humanity

Today I see beauty everywhere I go, in every face I see, in every single soul.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Face, Single, See, Everywhere

I was absolutely lost in love and life when I did my drawings. Time stood still.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Love, Lost, Still, Drawings

I'd rather have huge success and huge failures than travel in the middle of the road.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Middle, Failures, Rather, Huge

While traveling around the world, I've had the opportunity to work with every living beauty icon. I've learned to appreciate idiosyncrasy. The fact is, there is really no such thing as 'normal' - everybody's different, and that is the essence of their beauty.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Living, Normal, Everybody, Icon

I also have this incredible love for women.

- Kevyn Aucoin

Love, Women, Also, Incredible

I spent much of my life hiding.

- Kevyn Aucoin

My Life, Much, Spent, Hiding

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